


Convenience

by Glass_O_Lemonade



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: All Caps Secret Santa Fic Swap, Cross-Posted on Tumblr, Holiday Fic Exchange, M/M, vague college AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-26
Updated: 2016-12-26
Packaged: 2018-09-10 13:58:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,418
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8919838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Glass_O_Lemonade/pseuds/Glass_O_Lemonade
Summary: My fill for the All Caps Secret Santa Fic Swap earlier this month over on Tumblr. ~ Being together might be convenient, but love can only blossom with intention.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts).



> Happy Holidays, y'all! I was permashift's secret santa for the fic exchange. Hope y'all enjoy. ~Lem

The words left his lips a second before the thought finished in his mind. He froze as Steve paused in his current sketch.

“Did you just say-”

“-that I think we should be boyfriends?” Sam finished the question for him. _Yep, just like a couple… or siblings._

“So, yes… May I ask what inspired that?”

Sam sighed as he closed his eyes. Damn him for getting into this mess.

“Honestly?”

“Preferably.”

Sam turned to face his friend. “I was thinking about our friends, the ones in relationships.”

“You know that’s most of them, right?”

Sam ignored the question, as he carried on with his thought, “What do they do that we don’t do already? We spend the same amount of time together as they do, and we have better communication than a third of them.” Steve started to object, but Sam spoke again before he could. “What I am trying to get at is that, we are both single guys with few current prospects who happen to do most things couples already do.”

Steve gave him a look of disbelief at that comment. “Really, Sam? We do the same things couples do?”

“Time together, communication, dinner once a week, physical affection-”

“So? You’re a good hugger.”

Sam grinned at the compliment. “Not helping your case right now, Steve.”

Steve quieted then. Sam leaned back against the wall, turning away from the blond.

_Idiot. Why did I have to go and ruin things? Now he probably thinks I like him… which isn’t false, but he doesn’t need to know that!_

Sam was going to get a headache and that would be his fault, too, if he didn’t start mentally calming down. Not once when he was explaining his proposal did he say he liked Steve that way. He’s fine. They’re fine. It was a silly observation, and nothing would come of it. That is until Steve decided to speak back up.

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Let’s be boyfriends. Like you said, how different would it be from what we already do as friends?”

Yeah, how different could it be?

* * *

 Turns out Steve and Sam as boyfriends went pretty well, great in fact… at least in the beginning.

The two seemed to be inseparable the first two weeks, Steve even kissed him a few times. Nothing fancy of course, but not something two friends would just up and do. It was nice. Sam almost didn’t feel the need to question it.

It was not until the start of Week 5 that Sam caved and started to listen to his doubts. Nothing could have changed that quickly, right? Unfortunately, the end of Week 5 confirmed his concerns. They hadn’t met up for Wednesday dinner, Steve hadn’t kissed him since sometime the week before (when, Sam couldn’t remember), and whenever they were together everything felt… _flat_.

What began so brilliantly bright had fizzled within the span of a month, and Steve couldn’t even see the light going out. Maybe… maybe Sam had read everything wrong.

Well, he was going to fix this. One way or another.

* * *

 “You’re telling me you two got together because neither of you thought anything would change?”

“Yes?”

“Yes? Oh, Sam,” Rhodey shook his head at his friend’s naivety. “You didn’t tell him, did you?”

Sam chose then to take too long a sip, intently focused on the cold soda as it entered his throat.

“That is confirmation. You know you only have yourself to blame for this. Relationships only work if both people are committed. Wanting to pass the time might work, but not in the long run.”

Sam gave a slight grimace. He came to Jim Rhodes for the man’s wise words, but wanting and hearing were two very different things. “I didn’t think I needed to say anything.”

“Apparently, you did because this thing you two are doing isn’t making you happy.”

Sam was not about to deny that.

“What are you going to do?”

* * *

 “I think I love him,” as they words left him, all Steve could think was that they felt right.

“Who? Sam?” Bucky asked as he perused their stack of delivery menus.

“Yeah.”

Bucky rolled his eyes. “You’re just realizing this?”

“Well, yeah.”

“Then why did you start dating?”

“It was his idea. He mentioned how we were practically a couple already.”

Bucky gave him a considering look then. “What else did he say?”

“Just that it made sense to get together. Why? Bucky, what am I missing?”

Bucky let out a groan at the other’s question. “Do I really have to spell it out for you?”

“Spell what out?”

“Sam loves you, too, you punk. He has for a while in my opinion.”

Sam, in love with him? That could not be right. Right? Unless, Bucky was actually correct, and he was wrong… _Oh_ -

“Shit.”

* * *

Sam’s nerves were slightly spiked. He was about to break up with his best friend turned boyfriend after he was the one who brought the whole idea up. _Brilliant idea that was. I should have just told him._ Well, it was too late for that. Besides, if he had done that and have Steve reject him? At least this way he can say they dated. _Some silver lining._

“Sorry I’m late,” Steve rushed out. “Stayed to speak with Prof.- Sam?”

Sam steeled himself for what he was about to do. _Don’t back out now._

“I think we need to talk.”

“About…”

_Now or never._

“Us.”

* * *

“I think we should take a break.”

It took Steve a moment to register Sam’s words.

“Take a break…”

“I think I was wrong, about us doing this whole boyfriend thing. Do not get me wrong. This past month has been great.”

Steve frowned then. “If it’s been great, why do you want a break?”

His eyes went downward, as he shifted on the bench.

“Sam.”

“I,” he took a deep breath, “I think we’re better as friends.”

Steve’s heart tightened at Sam’s words. How could he think this? They were better as friends? If anything, their time together showed Steve how wonderful Sam really was. Not that he didn’t know before, but through the lens of a partner? Sam was… Sam was everything Steve had been looking for. Why did it take him so long to realize that?

_I can’t lose him._

Of course, that thought led to a less than smart response on Steve’s part.

“We can’t take a break! You love me!” Shit. I love him. How could I mess that up?

“I- How- I- No.” He shook his head, as his cheeks slightly grew warm.

“No, no, you do,” insisted Steve. “You love me, Sam Wilson. You love my smile, my laugh, my hands,” Steve gazed into Sam’s eyes as he spoke. His heart picked up speed with every word. “You’ve always loved me, but you didn’t realize until I was right in front of you. And now, now you can’t let me go. You can’t get rid of us, because us now is so much better than we’ve ever been. And I… I love you, too, Sam Wilson.”

* * *

 

“You,” where does one even begin?

Steve answers his unspoken question with nothing but sincerity. “I love you, Sam. I do. I’m sorry it took me so long to realize that. If, if you’re willing to give this another shot, I will do it all over. I will be the boyfriend and partner you deserve.”

_Steve loves me. He loves me. He loves me!_

“I- are you sure? This isn’t some side effect from my stupid idea?”

“Sam, would I lie about this?”

The answer found him immediately. No. He wouldn’t.

“You have no idea how long I have been waiting to hear you say that.”

“Is, is it true then? Do you love me, too?”

Sam grinned at the sudden blush that spread across Steve’s cheeks as he asked. Oh, he knew exactly how to respond to that idiotic question.

He stood up and crossed the distance between them. He wrapped his arms around Steve.

The two brought their heads together, nothing in the world but one another.

“Steven Grant Rogers, I have loved you since summer orientation. I love your smile, I love your laugh, I love your hands.”

Sam couldn’t help the laugh that left him as Steve became even redder.

This… this could work. They would make it work.

Steve brought his lips to Sam’s. Sam knew then, a kiss with emotion was the best kind of kiss.

“I love you, Sam.”

He believed it.


End file.
